Lord Orots – Mors Solum Initium [US, Dungeon Synth] (2020)

The Obsidian Order | 5-6-20

I am going to give it to Lord Orots. This is quite alright. It takes a lot of confidence to put yourself in a cloak and a Halloween mask on the cover of your 25 edition tape. It takes a lot of confidence and trust in your audience to ignore any criticism and just go with the music. Mors Solum Initium goes with the music with an EP of old school dungeon synth that aside from being slightly repetitive, achieves the mood and atmosphere desired by so many cloaked devotees. The Obsidian Order is a US based tape label that seems to be going for the strange and wild with a roster full of dark ambient and noise releases that when put side by side, makes Mors Solum Initium perhaps the most melodic. I am going to give it to Lord Orots, this is quite alright.

Kaptain Carbon

Kaptain Carbon is the custodian of Tape Wyrm, a mod for Reddit’s r/metal, Creator of Vintage Obscura, and a Reckless Scholar for Dungeon Synth.

Ænigmatum – Adorned in Wrath [US, Black / Death] (2020)

Self Released | 5-22-20

There is something about the palette of grey, black and blue that makes a cover so enticing. Even before listening to the newest demo from Ænigmatum, one knows what they are in for. Rather than a blistering black-white-red palette of black/death, one is treated to the twisting catacombs of an alien landscapes where walls breathe and the floors arrest your movement. Adorned in Wrath manages to build a non euclidean temple on the border between accessibility and harshness with melody, hooks that dance in macabre circles with dissonant elements and angular songwriting.

Kaptain Carbon

Kaptain Carbon is the custodian of Tape Wyrm, a mod for Reddit’s r/metal, Creator of Vintage Obscura, and a Reckless Scholar for Dungeon Synth.

Writhing Shadows – Demo [US, Death] (2020)

Self Released | 4-20-20

Its funny that the idea of knuckledragging death has become a term or idea of affection that the dumber and ruder the riffs are the better quality the music. I do not know what lies on the otherside of kuckledragging death but for now, we are going to roll with the hairy punches and embrace the primitive or death metal with zero table manners since at the end of the day, the riffs on Writhing Shadows are obscene and the experience is rude and fascinating.

Kaptain Carbon

Kaptain Carbon is the custodian of Tape Wyrm, a mod for Reddit’s r/metal, Creator of Vintage Obscura, and a Reckless Scholar for Dungeon Synth.

Delmak-O – Cerulean Tomb [US, Dungeon Synth] (2020)

Self Released | 4-17-20

I feel this might not be dungeon synth but rather a floating moon caught in the orbit of the sound. Cerulean Tomb shares many aspects of dungeon synth in terms of production, fantastic storytelling, and the aesthetic approach but that is where the similarities end. Influenced by space travel and the spirits of Komische musik, Delmak-O creates science fiction landscapes that are illuminated by distant stars and the alien worlds of desolation and beauty. Cerulean Tomb is a wild and unrelenting escape into a solitary vessel which is fit for one and has an almost limitless capacity for imagination.

Kaptain Carbon

Kaptain Carbon is the custodian of Tape Wyrm, a mod for Reddit’s r/metal, Creator of Vintage Obscura, and a Reckless Scholar for Dungeon Synth.

Bespin Moons – A Binding Force [US, Dungeon Synth] (2020)

Self Released | 4-16-20

I passed over this release two or three times since I did not initially pick up on its entire vibe. From what I saw, I thought Bespin Moons was a synthwave record wrongly tagged as dungeon synth. To my surprise not only was it dungeon synth, and fantastic dungeon synth at that, but this was also dedicated to the Star Wars universe. Suddenly everything made sense including the cover which looks like the Kenner action figure from the late 70’s. I feel a little silly missing this as finally listening to A Binding Force has propelled this record from cast away to one of the best releases in recent memory for its effortless worship of a speculative universe that eschews traditional high fantasy. Everything works, from the soundclips to the song titles to the traditional dungeon synth that is now on far planets in a galaxy far far away.

Kaptain Carbon

Kaptain Carbon is the custodian of Tape Wyrm, a mod for Reddit’s r/metal, Creator of Vintage Obscura, and a Reckless Scholar for Dungeon Synth.

Temple of the Fractured Light – Rainbow Rituals of the Spiritual Sojourner [US, Dungeon Synth] (2020)

Self Released | 4-15-20

Yes. Yes to everything about this. While I do not think Temple of the Fractured Light is entirely there, this artist is on the correct existential road to something super fucking weird and amazing. I noticed Temple of the Fractured Light before with its garish and occult psychedelic influenced covers. Rainbow Rituals of the Spiritual Sojourner tags itself as progressive dungeon synth which is a current trend in its combination of 70’s progressive aesthetic and dungeon synth. Temple of the Fractured Light, in my opinion, is more traditional dungeon synth just aimed at a weird cult aesthetic that mixes drug visuals with the somber motifs of death cults. The track titles and soundclips point to groups like Jonestown and Heaven’s Gate. This is certainly progressive, in concept, away from the tradition of fantasy escapism. The whole affair combined with a bedroom production gives Temple of the Fractured Light an alluring and sinister vibe and something that, like most cults, is ominous and inviting.

Kaptain Carbon

Kaptain Carbon is the custodian of Tape Wyrm, a mod for Reddit’s r/metal, Creator of Vintage Obscura, and a Reckless Scholar for Dungeon Synth.

The Nameless King – Downfall of Drangleic [US, Dungeon Synth] (2020)

Self Released | 4-17-20

“Drangleic is the kingdom where the events of Dark Souls II take place. The protagonist will have to venture into this treacherous land in order to find a cure for their curse. Like Boletaria in Demon’s Souls and Lordran in Dark Souls, Drangleic was once a powerful and prosperous land which fell into decadence and damnation after a series of unfortunate events.”

The Dark Souls universe and series of video games is not far from the realm of fantasy and thus inspiration for dungeon synth. While the Dark Souls universe is not as popular for inspiration as compared to Tolkien or pulp writers like Robert E Howard and Michael Moorcock, it is not absurd to have a dungeon synth record based on the events and lore of Dark Souls. In fact, it is quite fitting and surprising when it is not as bleak as one would imagine. the Nameless King is not new and in fact Downfall of Drangleic is the artists 4th proper release. These releases are also outside of the other outfit the creator helms which is the well regarded Halberdier project. Much like Halberdier, The Namless King is marked with lush instrumentation and a deep sense of calm which lays over a bleak landscape.

Kaptain Carbon

Kaptain Carbon is the custodian of Tape Wyrm, a mod for Reddit’s r/metal, Creator of Vintage Obscura, and a Reckless Scholar for Dungeon Synth.

Anhifohr – Condemned To Endless Sacrifice [US, Black] (2020)

Self Released | 4-10-20

I feel this EP warrants a little patience. I say this because the whole of Condemned to Endless Sacrifice is ultimately worth the time it takes to get used to the sound. This EP is noisy and rough with its production to the point of abuse. Once one gets past the intro and the intro of the second son however, they are treated to the sounds of groovy black metal in the shape of concrete slabs which are lobbed at them. This is all for fun however as the experience conducted by Anhifohr can only be described as a symphony of psychological terror with monsters stalking in the shadows. There are few polished parts in this EP with songs beginning right away and fading out when they do not need to. Everything though about this EP is part and parcel to the experience of ultimate ruin and demise.

Kaptain Carbon

Kaptain Carbon is the custodian of Tape Wyrm, a mod for Reddit’s r/metal, Creator of Vintage Obscura, and a Reckless Scholar for Dungeon Synth.

Deconsecration – Demo [US, Death] (2020)

Caligari Records | 6-12-20

Even before I saw this release was from Caligari, I was into it. The art, the name, and the sound all point to one thing which is dripping death metal. From a very short history, this style of rotting death is on the downswing after its surge in popularity a few years ago with bands like Blood Incantation and Tomb Mold. This does not mean there still isn’t great death that smells like loam and caskets rather if you have trampled this far out into the woods, you are going to be here for this anyway so here is your shovel. Lets get digging.

Kaptain Carbon

Kaptain Carbon is the custodian of Tape Wyrm, a mod for Reddit’s r/metal, Creator of Vintage Obscura, and a Reckless Scholar for Dungeon Synth.

The Harbinger – The Consecrated Barrow [US, Dungeon Synth] (2019)

Self Released | 8-27-19

This review is going to encompass the three released by The Harbinger from August 27th of 2019 to September 10th of 2019. The three releases which spanned those few weeks make up the entirty of work from The Harbinger. It is strange to highlight such a limited collection of work but the three releases from this artist show such promise and ability, it is difficult not to get excited. Through awkwardly designed album covers and cryptic veils of flowery text, these three releases (The Consecrated Barrow, The Convocation of Forgotten Gods, The Absolution of The Blind God) are masterful in their silent declaration in a world that seems crafted for the artist but has space for the listener to observe.

Kaptain Carbon

Kaptain Carbon is the custodian of Tape Wyrm, a mod for Reddit’s r/metal, Creator of Vintage Obscura, and a Reckless Scholar for Dungeon Synth.